From The Stars (Part one of Star Child)
by KarsKars
Summary: Krolia crash lands on Earth and finds herself dealing with a strange alien planet while becoming a mother.
1. Arrival

**ARRIVAL**

When the dust settled, and consciousness returned, she opened the hatch of her destroyed pod. A quick scan confirmed the air on this planet to be safe and she promptly removed her helmet taking in a deep gasping breath. There was no way her arrival would go unnoticed and that meant she was in immediate danger. Falling back on her training, she took stock of her surroundings.

The planet she had landed on appeared to be a desert planet. There was dust and sand in every direction, with a sparse spattering of strange vegetation. A small mountain range lay to the distant left of her pod and open terrain lay in all other directions. Except, now that she looked harder, there was some sort of dwelling off in the distance. Nothing else seemed to be out here for miles, granted she couldn't tell what lay beyond that mountain range, but aside from this single residence the area was barren.

A few options crossed her mind. She could head for the mountain range and hope for a friendly civilization, she could head for the mountain range and hide, she could head for the strange dwelling and hope they weren't hostile, or she could remain with her pod and try to repair it. This planet was currently in its night cycle, which meant once its star rose in the sky it would most likely become very hot very quickly and she would need to find adequate shelter and hydration. The mountain range would be her best bet for both while eliminating the risk of encountering the native species in-case they were in fact hostile.

She let out a huff and plopped herself back into the pod, accessing the systems to see if it was even salvageable. Turns out; nope. Another huff and she let her head fall back against the seat; she was stuck here with no way of escaping. A distress beacon would only draw the attention of the Empire and that defeated the whole purpose of her assignment, while contacting her team was impossible from this distance. Without some means of boosting her broadcasting range her communicator's signal just wasn't strong enough. No, it was looking like she was actually stuck here until rescue came, or the Empire attacked and she could 'borrow' a pod. May as well make the best of a shitty situation and use this time to scan for the source of that strange energy signal they had been tracking.

With the pod being unrepairable, she decided to wipe the records just in-case. However, the moment she accessed the controls her pod began sparking and the hatch sealed shut as the exterior caught fire. It was only a matter of time before the fire reached the fuel cells and the pod exploded; she needed to get that hatch open. Trying a manual override yielded no results, trying to pry the hatch open only served to tire her out, and trying the eject button had slammed her headfirst into the stubbornly sealed hatch making her see stars before the darkness took over.

A loud sound pulled her back to consciousness and she blinked as the heavy fog cleared from her mind and the darkness of the destroyed pod took its place. The sound of metal being pried apart surrounded her and she dug deep to summon enough energy to open her eyes.

A strange alien was standing above her pod, the light of the desert planet's sole moon shining around him. He looked like an angel. She blinked to clear the haze and leaned forward, but the sudden motion caused her head to swim and she was succumbing to the darkness again.

* * *

The first thing she registered was the incredibly bright and hot light that was shining on her. Whatever it was, it was large enough to cover her entire left side in a blazing heat. The next thing she registered was a strange smell, dusty and stale as though the air was rarely filtered. Finally she noticed the sounds of something moving below, they were muffled as though coming through walls too thin to effectively block them. Suddenly the reality of her situation crashed down on her still mildly concussed mind. She bolted upright and breathed in a heaving gasp, taking stock of the unfamiliar surroundings.

Her armor was still on, though her helmet had been set aside on a small table beside what must serve as a bed for this species. It was similar to her own, longer than it was wide and relatively soft, though there was a strange feeling of metal poking into her back. Every movement released a strained creaking sound that could potentially alert the alien of her wakefulness. A thin sheet had been draped over her and a glass of what appeared to be water was resting next to the helmet.

She had been right; the day cycle on this desert planet was hot, bright, and inhospitable. A small tattered curtain held back the majority of the bright light from the planet's star. Forcing herself to move from the bed, she took a tentative step towards the window, feeling the floor creak under her weight, and pushed the curtain aside. The resulting onslaught of light was blinding, her eyes slamming shut in protest. After several painful dobashes she slowly forced them to open and looked out at the desolate terrain. Her pod was nowhere to be seen but a strange looking vehicle was parked outside, directly in-front of a smaller dwelling. It was red with white accents and appeared to be well taken care of. Perhaps she could commandeer it as a method of transport to assist her in her investigation of the mystery energy source.

She scanned the area outside her window and noted a single piece of vegetation in the form of a large tree. It was a tree unlike any she had ever seen before, as alien as the planet she was on, and it had a small rubber tire tied to a rope and hanging from one of the larger branches. For a moment she wondered what purpose it could serve but decided it was not a priority. Her priority was figuring out if this alien species was hostile or not, and how to get back to her team.

A sudden crashing sound came from beyond the door to her room followed by a slew of angry words in a language she had never heard. She tapped her wrist gauntlet praying the universal translator would turn on, she couldn't imagine how difficult this would be if she was unable to understand the natives. Another loud crash followed by another slew of angry words and _oh,_ they were curses! She sighed and used her gauntlet to test the toxicity of the beverage left for her. It was water, clean crisp water that she guzzled down as if having never had a drop in her life. A different loud crashing sound echoed through the dwelling, this one sounded like something heavy having slapped against a wooden structure; perhaps the door? Looking back out the window she caught a glimpse of the alien as it made its way over to the red and white vehicle, activated the engine, then hopped on and sped off in one fluid motion. Just like that, it was gone and she was alone.

She let out a sigh of relief and finally made her way out of the room. The entire dwelling seemed to be made of wood, it gave an oddly warm glow to the interior and though it was nothing she was familiar with, it was strangely soothing. The hall outside her door was narrow and lead to 3 other doors before descending down a steep staircase. Slipping into reconnaissance mode, she pushed open each of the doors to take stock of the other rooms on this level. Two were bedrooms, one substantially larger than the other, and the third room was a washing facility. The flooring in this room was tiled and there was a large white basin off to the side with a much smaller basin embedded in a table-like structure against the wall. Both seemed to have taps that, when activated by turning, sprayed water into them. There was also a rather strange contraption in the corner behind the door and for the life of her she could not figure out what it was for. Beside it was a roll of soft paper and a stack of magazines. The cover of the magazine had a much more feminine figure sprawled across it, leading her to draw the conclusion that her rescuer / captor must be male given their physical differences.

A loud ringing sound startled her. It echoed from the lower level and repeated in set intervals until terminating with a loud beeping sound. The voice of a gruff man filled the dwelling; her suit's translator making the alien words decipherable.

"_Hey Kolt. Didn't see ya'll fer the big game yes'erday. Hope alls well wit ya. Gimme a call when ya get this kay? Later man. Oh .. it's Trav bytheway. Later."_

There was a fumbling sound followed by the loud beep again and a faint orange light started blinking on the lower level. With great caution she made her way to the steps and, hesitantly, began to descend. The wooden structure creaked and moaned, protesting her movements as she made her way towards the lower level revealing a larger, more open area. Clearly a common space for all inhabitants, the room offered a dark green couch against the far wall with a brown chair like contraption. The brown fabric was worn and covered in areas by a heavy knit blanket; there was also a lever on the side of the chair which she found particularly odd. Both pieces of furniture were facing a large black rectangular screen that was mounted to the wall and had several cables connecting it to a cabinet below. There were black rectangles in the cabinet as well but they were different than the one on the wall and they blinked with a faint blue light every so often. In the center of the room was a large, but low, table that had papers strewn across it as well as a knife. _HER_ knife. In the confusion of her crash landing and location change she hadn't even thought to look for it. Mentally smacking herself she rushed over and swiped up what was hers, sheathing it back in her armor, and feeling an immediate weight lift. Her gun was still missing, she could feel that now, but at least she had her knife back.

Continuing her investigation she found another, much smaller, washing room; this one containing only the strange bowl basin thing, and the table basin. She also located a kitchen facility and dining area. The food that was stored in the primitive refrigeration unit seemed to be safe for consumption, and the water the taps emitted had also passed, which meant she now had adequate shelter and sustenance. If this alien proved friendly, then her current situation would be survivable. Perhaps she could even find a way to repair her pod, or inquire about replacement parts.

Not two ticks after the thought crossed her mind did the sound of the strange red and white vehicle come back. The soft hum of its engine grew louder before the flash of red glimmered over the horizon. The little contraption must have some serious power because in an instant it had returned to its place in-front of the smaller dwelling and she found herself scrambling for a place to hide. She watched from behind the couch as the alien came back inside.

His skin was a pale peach colour, not entirely unpleasant but certainly nothing she had seen before. On his head was a thick mop of messy black head fur and he had fairly normal looking eyes, though the sclera was a crisp white with dark grey irises and round black pupils. The ears were low set on his head, nearly in the same location as hers; however they were oddly rounded and lacked the fur tips common amongst males of her species. His teeth appeared flat and dull while his hands ended in short stubby fingers, no claws insight. How this species was able to defend itself was not immediately obvious. Perhaps they were like the Luvi and boasted incredible speed, unlikely given his use of a vehicle. Perhaps then they were like the ancient Alteans and were substantially stronger than they appeared, plausible; she would file that away for further investigation.

"Hey alien lady, you still here?" Though he didn't yell his voice carried clearly throughout the building. She watched him look around the room, his eyes settling on the table. "See ya took back yer knife. That's fine, wasn't try'na hide it from ya er nothin'. Just makin' sure ya'll didn't go stabbing yerself as ya slept is all." He stood still a moment longer before letting out a long sigh before muttering to himself. "Right, well s'not like she could git far. Not in this heat." His voice raised again, the words being directed to the any listening ears and despite herself she found she was leaning closer. "If yer still here Imma make some lunch. I don't bite so come join me and you can have somethin' to eat. I won't hurt ya. Promise, scouts honour."

The strange alien man held up his hand in what must have been a meaningful gesture before smiling and turning on his heal to carry the bags into the kitchen area. She leaned out further from behind the couch, it wasn't the most inventive hiding place but it was the only thing large enough to conceal her completely. A new smell drifting into the common room was intriguing; it somehow smelt both delicious and revolting. The message from earlier played in the background and the alien let out a few curses before pressing a series of buttons on a device she couldn't see. His voice filtered through the room and she listened closely as she shifted her position.

"Hey Trav, got yer message. - Sorry, fell asleep on the couch after a few too many beers. - Ya I heard 'bout that, crazy! - Nah I'm sure it aint gunna happen, we got a great team this year. - Right, ok let em know I won't be makin it out tonight either. - Alright, later."

A click signaled the end of their discussion and after a dobash he came sauntering into the common room. "Lady yer either gone already or yer behind my sofa. So if yer here, ya'll can come out and eat now. I don't mean ya no harm."

It appeared as though her presence was known, and her hiding place had been substantially less adequate than she'd hoped. With hunger quickly settling in and no other viable options available, she sighed and leapt over the back side of the couch, er – 'sofa' as he called it, garnering a quick yelp of surprise from him. The alien man smiled at her and gestured towards the couch she had just cleared where he had already set a fresh glass of water and a plate of food. Using her gauntlet she scanned the food; safe, and the water; also safe, before taking the proffered seat.

The food smelt better at close range than it had before, but now that she could see it the thought of ingesting it turned her stomach. It was a sandwich of some sort, grilled in a pan, and still dripping grease as a bright yellow-orange substance oozed out. The alien was happily eating away at the 3 sandwiches he had made for himself, dipping the edges in a red paste that was too thick and bright to be blood but didn't match any other substance she could identify. Using her gauntlet once again she scanned the paste, much to the alien's surprise, and discovered it was some sort of puree made from a local plant. Her stomach growled and against her better judgement, she lifted her plate into her lap to take a bite of the vaguely radioactive looking sandwich.

It was pure heaven; absolute bliss. Every bite was another adventure in a culinary masterpiece unlike anything she had ever tried. The thick yellow-orange substance was divine and perfectly complimented by the crispy grilled bread that she had assumed would be soggy. Taking a drink of her water, she dove into the second sandwich without hesitation.

A light chuckle sounded at her left and she turned to meet his gaze. "Good?" He asked, his low voice thick with a heavy drawl. She nodded and continued her meal. "Well I guess that answers the question of whether or not ya'll can understand me. Names Kolt, what's yers?"

He was looking at her expectantly, and while her translator allowed her to understand him, it wouldn't allow for the reverse. Swallowing the final bite and washing it down with the remainder of her water, she turned to meet his eyes again. "Krolia."

"Well howdy Krolia, welcome to Texas. How'd you come to learn English?"

She lifted her arm and tapped the gauntlet, pulling up the holographic system interface and answering him in a language she knew he wouldn't understand, but hopefully he was intelligent enough to infer her meaning. "_I am using a translator._"

A puzzled look and a long silence met her words. "Huh, guess that thing is some kinda translator then. Works only one way I assume?" She nodded. "Right, well this just got a whole lot harder."

He got up from his seat and the entire chair rocked below him. Picking up the plates and glasses he moved into the kitchen area and deposited them in a metal basin before disappearing around a corner. Briefly she worried if he was retrieving a weapon, not much could penetrate her armor but if he had her gun that would definitely do the trick. After a dobash he returned with an archaic looking computing device and placed it on the table in-front of her.

"My granddaddy moved here from Japan and didn't speak a lick of English. Had to use this program to teach himself so it should be able to help. Ya'll seem pretty smart so Imma leave this here, just holler my name if ya need anything."

"Kolt." She repeated for verification and he nodded, grinning widely. She turned her attention to the device before her and the alien, Kolt, activated the program. It was brightly coloured and clearly designed for children but it would work just fine.

* * *

After several vargas she had managed to retain the what she had learned of the language fairly well. They were a primitive species and their language was relatively simple once you understood the basics. The program had begun with simple introductions, everyday phrases, and object identification. While simplistic, it was surprisingly effective.

Krolia wandered outside noticing that the day cycle was winding down. She had been seated on Kolt's sofa for much longer than she thought and now the plant's star was beginning to set in the distance painting the sky a rich array of orange, red, and purple; it was magnificent. Though she hadn't even been here for a full quintant this planet, and the strange alien man, were already endearing themselves to her. She felt safe here, the warm breeze rustling through her head fur as the desert's temperature began to drop with the loss of its heat source. Maybe this wasn't such a bad place to be stranded.


	2. Family

**FAMILY**

It had been several phoebs since her pod had crashed and she _still_ hadn't located the lion. It was here, her fellow patrol appeared to be right, but it was well hidden. Kolt had been helping her, 'repurposing' tech from a nearby military base he worked for, and they had narrowed down the lion's location to 3 potential places. All of which were in the mountain range. They were getting closer though, she could feel it – maybe not literally _feel_ it but she felt hopeful, optimistic even.

* * *

"I never thought I'd see another lion in my lifetime."

"You've been tellin' me 'bout this ship fer months but – this is beyond words." Kolt turned slightly to face her, "Are you sure you don't want me to contact the Garrison? They could help."

"We've discussed this. It could put your entire civilization in jeopardy."

"Does this mean yer gunna try to contact yer people and continue yer mission?" He tried to hide it but there was a definite hesitation to his words. Krolia looked down, she had a duty to the Blades but the prospect of leaving this planet, leaving him, was too hard to bear.

"My ship being destroyed was the best thing that ever happened to me. I wouldn't go back even if I could." Taking a purposeful step forward, she stood beside him and stared up at the magnificent Lion of Voltron. "I have a new mission now. I'm going to stay here and protect the Blue Lion."

Kolt took her hand, his eyes softening as he met her gaze. "I want to help." She smiled at him. This was wrong, so wrong. She should be returning back to the Blades but she was choosing to be weak. Her time on this planet had softened her and she felt this human man making a home for himself in her heart and there was nothing she could do about it – nothing she _wanted_ to do about it.

* * *

"Did you eat them beans I got in the back of the fridge? Been there goin on 3 years now." He chuckled, leaning in the frame of the bathroom door as she emptied the contents of her stomach into the toilet for the second time that evening. "Maybe all the Earth food is finally catchin' up to ya after a year of bein' here? Or perhaps ya'll spent too much time out in the sun? Heat stroke's a nasty bugger."

"Kolton. You are not being helpful. Either get out, or be quiet. Pass me that -" another heave of her guts and she found her arms wrapping tighter around the bowl. "- that wet towel over there, I feel disgusting." She heaved again. "It's been almost two weeks of this, every evening! There's no way it's food or heat related and I didn't think I could catch your human viruses." Another heave.

"Sounds like morning sickness. Maybe yer pregnant." His joke was not funny. Not funny in the slightest and she heaved again before she could smack him.

* * *

"It's not nearly long enough; it's only been a year." She was panicking, the labour pains coming closer and closer together. The Galra are a long-lived species, a normal pregnancy should take longer than a simple deca-phoeb.

"Krolia we've been through this. A Human pregnancy lasts 9 months and yer well past that. This kiddo's gunna be half Human 'n half Galra; s'not a normal pregnancy."

"It just feels too –_ Ahhhhhhh_ – too soon! Oh Stars I hope everything is ok."

"It'll be fine, everything is fine. Just breathe! Yer doin' great!"

* * *

Tiny eyes flickered behind tiny eyelids. Keith was already 3 months old but she couldn't get over how _tiny_ he was. She had him wrapped in a sling and strapped to her chest as she milled about their small desert home. There were dishes to do and a growing pile of laundry, not to mention the constant need to clean with all the sand in the air. Krolia had never been much for the domestic life, she was a Blade first and foremost, but there wasn't a whole lot she could do out here. Earth was an un-contacted planet and she couldn't just go strolling into town in all of her purple glory without bringing down the full weight of the Galaxy Garrison on them. And though she knew she could handle herself, she didn't want the Garrison to get anywhere near her tiny, tiny son.

Keith made a small noise typical of a Galran kit, but rather strange for a Human child. He stirred slightly before returning to a deep sleep; small hands clenched tightly into adorable little fists. She stared down at the bundle, he looked so much like her but it was hard to tell; his more alien features being hidden behind pale skin and rounded ears. His eyes were shaped like hers but white like his father, though after a particularly long night of the little guy crying inconsolably, they had briefly opened to reveal bright yellow sclera with slit pupils. Instead of Kolton's grey irises, Keith's were a deep violet like her own and like her, he had a reflective coating on his eyes giving them a faint glow in the dark and allowing them to reflect light much like an Earth cat.

So far he did not have any claws, but that didn't mean he wouldn't grow them, and his dark black hair had a slight purple tint in the right lighting. If you knew what to look for you could see his alien heritage plain as day, but to any Human he was just a normal baby boy; a little strange but still one of them.

The red and white hover-bike came to a stop in front of the shed and after a few tics, Kolt came walking inside. "Shake your boots." She called over her shoulder out of habit and was met with a groan. Turning around she stopped when she saw him, he had a box in his hands and a wide grin on his face, which usually meant he was up to something. "What's in the box?"

"_What's in the booooox?" _He snorted and she pinched her eyebrows into a glower. "Sorry, movie reference. Don't worry, s'not a severed head er nothin'."

She gasped, eyebrows suddenly shooting up her forehead. "Why would I assume it is? Kolton Kogane what. Is in. The box?" His resounding laugh helped ease a little of her tension, if he was this casual then it was nothing too be worked up over. But she couldn't shake the feeling that he was up to no good.

"S'fer Keith. Fer his first birthday."

"That's 10 of your Earth months away."

"9, and I know, but I couldn't resist." He kicked off his boots, leaving them on the front porch and stepped inside, carefully placing the box on the coffee table. She stood in the kitchen, frying pan in hand, as he sauntered over to her. His strong arms wrapped tightly around her waist pulling her close, mindful of the little bundle tied to her chest, and planted a warm kiss to her lips.

After a minute or two he stepped back slightly, just enough to lay a soft kiss to the small patch of exposed skin on their son's forehead; the only spot not covered by his messy dark hair. She smiled at him when their eyes met once again and he held her gaze, staring lovingly back while her heart melted. Krolia swore in that moment she was the luckiest woman in the universe.

"Wanna hear somethin' funny?" The little glint of mischief was back as it sparkled in his eyes and she rolled hers. "Sam said some cheesy pickup line t'Colleen and she smacked his arm fer it. I got a laugh outta the whole thing but then she insisted, again, that we come fer dinner to their house. I don't think she's gunna let that one go, but anyways – I told her we couldn't make it on account'a you bein' hurt. She looked at me all surprised and I said – now this here's the best part -" He was struggling to get the words out at this point, trying to hold a straight face as he recounted the story. "- I said you still had a concussion from when ya'll fell from heaven." He lost all control at the end and broke out into a full belly laugh, clearly thinking himself to be hilarious.

Krolia rolled her eyes.

"She – she smacked my arm and said '_Yer just as bas as Sam_!' but they don't even know! Oh babe it was great!" He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, still struggling to breathe through his is convulsive laughter.

"I still don't understand how this _Colleen_ knows about me."

"She does and she doesn't. Perceptive as all hell that one. Knows I got a lady in my life, and 'bout Keith, but she doesn't know yer purple and from outer space." Kolt made a whistling sound as his arm mimicked a rocket taking off. Krolia rolled her eyes. "You keep doin' that and them pretty eyes of yers 'er gunna get stuck mid roll." He placed a small kiss to her check and walked over to his favourite chair, a plume of dust and sand rising from it as he threw himself down.

Keith was starting to stir now, his nap having been disturbed by his father's exuberant story telling. Curious eyes blinked up at her and he turned his head to scan the room searching for the only other person he knew. The moment those little eyes found their target, Keith was making 'grabby hands' in his direction. A quiet babbling starting up when Kolt took too long to get him.

"Sam says he must be one smart cookie if he's babblin' like this already. Showed him a little video of Keith playin' wit the football I got him. Says kids don't start babblin' till round 4 - 6 months er so."

"Galra kits don't speak until they are nearly 5 deca-phoebs of age. Preferring nonverbal communication until then." She was practically cooing. Her initial thoughts had been it was a Human trait that had him attempting speech like sounds, but now it seemed he was potentially a genius.

Keith immediately proceeded to smack his face against the armrest of Kolt's chair.

His cries were higher pitched than a Human baby, and substantially quieter, much more akin to his Galran heritage than his Human one. This had startled Kolt the first time he heard the boy cry, believing him to be struggling for air. Krolia was merely grateful that this part of his behaviour was more Galran, she had not been looking forward to a screaming Human baby – they were incredibly loud! Her sensitive ears would not have been able to handle that.

Kolt rubbed Keith's back in an attempt to sooth the crying child, the tiny sobs being absorbed by his broad shoulders. Krolia smiled fondly at them for a moment before disappearing into the kitchen to prepare dinner.

After a few minutes she noticed that the living room was suspiciously quiet. Keith had stopped crying, which was good, but there was no sound of television or talking or noisy toys. Setting the stir-fry to simmer she walked back around the corner and was met with the guiltiest of guilty looks she had ever seen. Kolt had Keith sitting between his legs on the floor, his head snapping up to lock onto her eyes and a blush immediately painting his cheeks bright crimson. Keith was happily squeezing a purple cat plushie in his pudgy arms while the box Kolt had brought home lay empty on the floor.

She rolled her eyes – again. "I thought you said that was for his birthday?" She chastised.

"I'm a weak, weak man. But just look at that smile, he loves it!" Both of her men were positively beaming up at her; Kolt holding Keith, and Keith holding his new stuffed animal. Her son held out the purple plush kitty to show her and immediately lost his balance, falling onto his side and pulling the kitty tightly to his chest.

"I just had te get it." He grinned at her and winked.

She watched as his father picked him up, throwing him dangerously high into the air and catching him with strong capable hands, drawing an excited giggle from the small boy before repeating the motion.

Keith was strong; he was sitting on his own already, an ability he inherited from her. According to every Earth parenting book she could find (online) Human babies wouldn't even be able to hold up their own heads yet. A pure Galran kit of his age would be crawling around. It was strange, physically the Galra developed much faster than Humans, but Human's speech patterns developed faster. Keith developed both at an alarming rate. He wasn't talking, not yet, but he _was_ making speech like sounds and that had her excited that he might begin talking soon.

She would speak to him in Galran all day, everyday, but as soon as Kolt came home it was strictly English. Her English was superb now and she could nearly call herself fluent. Some things still caught her, tripping her up on syntax or tense errors occasionally, but all in all she was doing really well. She had started teaching Kolt Galran; he was not fairing well at all.

Her people's language was incredibly complex, the same word meaning two different things depending on the stress placement, and getting the sounds just right had proved incredibly difficult for him. He was not Galra, not even a little bit, and because of this he did not possess the right vocal cords for the Galran language. Based on the sounds Keith made, she deduced that he did have the right cords, which was something she hadn't expected to be relieved about. It meant that he would be able to learn his cultural language; hopefully they could even speak it at home together.

They ate dinner in peace and put Keith down with a warm bottle and his new purple kitty that he would not let go of, before settling down on the couch together. "Wanna watch a movie?"

"Sure."

"Y'alright?" He gave her a puzzled look, tilting his head to the side and cocking a brow. She gave him a small nod and he poked her shoulder. "Hey now, you can tell me. Whassa matter?"

Letting out a long sigh she sat up, removing herself from the comfortable security of his arms. "I just – I worry. Eventually he is going to be old enough to go to one of your learning academies. He'll want to bring friends over. People will wonder why his mother doesn't participate in community events, why he talks about me like I'm here but no one ever sees me. He might let slip that I'm not Human, that _HE's_ not Human and then what? I've been on primitive planets before Kolton. The natives don't usually take the news very well."

"We'll just make sure he knows he can't go shootin' his mouth off 'bout that stuff is all. No biggie."

"And what of me? Will you continue turning down dinner invites? Pretend I don't exist? Or will you announce to your species that I do? What's the plan for that?"

"Yer puttin' too much thought into this. We'll do what feels right."

"You're not putting in _enough_. We need to be ready for the worst-case scenario. Kolt, we must be prepared."

"What 'er you, some kinda space boy scout? Damn Krolia relax, it'll work out."

"How can you be so sure?" he let out a deep sigh, taking a moment to stare into her eyes.

"Of all the planets in this here system fer ya'll to crash land on, it was Earth. Nice, habitable Earth where the Blue Lion of Voltron just happens to be. You know? That very Blue Lion ya'll been searchin' fer!" She let out a huff and he continued. "Of all the front yards ya'll could crash into, it was mine. I coulda freaked out, coulda tried attackin' or just left ye in that pod of yers to blow up. But I didn't. I pulled yer hot purple butt outta there and dragged ya home to help. And when we got pregnant and were scared 'bout how he'd do in there -" He poked her stomach causing her to jolt with surprise. "- didn't it work out? Give er take some pukin' the pregnancy and birth and all that went just fine. And Keith's a damn fine baby, cute as the dickens too. Healthy as a horse, smart as a whip, and did I mention he's one cute lil' bugger? Cause he is." Kolt nudged her shoulder making her smile. "Destinies a funny think Babe, it'll work out the way it's meant to – I can feel it."

"Stars I hope you're right."


	3. Scouts

**SCOUTS**

Keith was happily drinking from his bottle in her arms and struggling to keep his little eyes open as drifted off to sleep, safe and warm in his mother's arms. Kolt was sitting behind her on the bed gently rubbing her back, a loving smile plastered on his face as he stared down at his son. Nothing could ruin this moment, at least she that was her thought before the sigil on her blade began to glow.

"What was that?" Kolt was pulling away, moving across the bed to look out the window as three bright magenta streaks appeared in the sky.

"Trouble." She moved, deliberate actions taking the place of loving touches, and placed a sleeping Keith into his crib. Her kit was now 2 years old and she was not going to let the Empire get their claws into Earth, not this planet, not if she could help it.

She moved to join Kolt by the window, getting a better look at their visitor's arrival. "They're scouts. They must have picked up on the Blue Lion's signal. We need to stop them before they report back to their command."

"What's the plan?" He was all business. She had done her due diligence and told him what the Empire was capable of; he knew the danger these scouts posed.

Fetching her bag from under the bed, Krolia dumped out the small explosives. "I have explosives. They aren't powerful enough to stop a fighter but if we detonate them in the intake valves, they can stop them from taking off." He nodded his agreement and they changed; Kolt putting on dark clothes to blend in with the night while she donned her Empire armour.

With her Blade of Marmora knife securely in place at her hip, she passed him the satchel. "You'll need to be the one to place the bombs. You don't have the technical skill to take on a fully trained Galra Soldier, but I do. Place the bombs and once they're set, -" she passed him the detonator switch, "- use this to detonate the bombs and take out the ships."

"What will you be doin'?"

"I'm going to find out what the scouts know, and get rid of them." She said her words with finality. It didn't matter what they knew, they couldn't be allowed to live, not when her son was in danger. She had made a new oath; one to protect the Blue Lion at all costs, and now she was a mother. These scouts were _not_ welcome.

The ensuing fight took all of her strength, testing her resolve in all aspects but she was a fully trained Blade, an agent of the Blade of Marmora and _not_ one to be blinded by her emotions. It was with a cool head that she took the news of her mate's death and filed it away to be dealt with at a later time. She would mourn him, but she could not afford to be distracted, not if she wanted to protect the Blue Lion and her son.

With great prejudice she target the third scout, the one who had delivered the killing shot to Kolt and referred to him as a 'primitive'. She sliced at him with the level of ferocity only a Galra can manage and turned her ire on the other, slamming his body to the ground. She rose to find Kolt's killer running for his life like a coward, fleeing the cave instead of standing to fight.

A deep rage boiled in her blood and Krolia turned heel, chasing after him into the night. Faintly she heard the groan of the not-quite dead scout on the ground of the cave but her feet were already carrying her after Kolt's assassin.

Exiting the cave her heart plummeted as she watched the fighter pod take off. _She had failed_. She had sworn to protect the Blue Lion, Earth, and her family but she had failed. The sudden explosion caught her off guard and it was all she could do to stare in shock at the debris as it fell back to Earth. Her eyes flickered down and watched as Kolt passed out, ignition switch in hand. Her heart leapt into her throat, _he was alive._ But there was no time to rejoice, the sound of heavy boot falls was echoing in the cave and she knew the surviving scout had managed to get back on his feet.

Krolia turned back for the cave, pulling her knife once again and drawing it to its full form. She waited just outside the entrance for him to emerge, swiftly lodging her sword in his chest plate. The armour cracked ominously but it was no match for her luxite blade and she cut through it like butter. If her arrival hadn't drawn the attention of the Garrison, this certainly would. Dragging the body back into the cave, she grabbed the other scout and placed them together at the entrance before heading back for the sole remaining pod. Kolt had managed to place explosives on two of the three fighters and when he hit that trigger they had both blown up. She thanked the stars the coward had chosen one of those to escape in.

The exploded pod was scattered across the landscape and there was no way to clean the debris, but the intact pod needed to be moved. She climbed inside and activated the lowest power engines, flying the pod ever so carefully into the cave and stopping just in front of the Blue Lion. Before exiting the pod she activated the shields and hoped they would be sufficient to protect it. Krolia dragged the portable console the scouts had brought with them back to the entrance and set the last of her explosives. The resulting blast would hopefully be enough to bury the bodies and conceal the mouth of the cave. Its particle barrier would protect the Blue Lion and she prayed this would be enough to conceal its location from the Garrison when they came to investigate.

She didn't pay much attention to her footings as she descended into the canyon; her haste made her careless and she inevitably placed her weight on a few loose rocks. The footing gave way and she tumbled down the remainder of the canyon's walls coming to a hard landing at the base. Heaving herself to her feet she groaned and shuffled over to Kolt's unconscious form dragging her badly sprained ankle in the dust behind her.

There was no blood, but that was to be expected with an Empire blaster; they cauterized wounds instantly. It was the only reason he was still alive. Had they been Garrison issue weapons, or any other Earth based weapons for that matter, he would have bled to death from his injury before she could reach him. As it were, the sniper had missed their target, hitting him in the right shoulder blade instead of the head as they were trained to do. Once again she thanked the stars for Kolt's luck, for her luck, and lifted him in a fireman's carry back to the hover bike.

For a moment she hesitated, unsure of what to do next. The options were either bring him back to their isolated desert home in the hopes that she would be able to dress and mend his wounds, or bring him to an Earth hospital for professional medical attention. The latter guaranteed his survival and gave the least opportunity for infection to set in, but it meant exposing herself to the Humans and leaving Keith alone with no one to know he was there. She couldn't risk it. If they took her then no one would be there to protect Keith. Anything could happen; a coyote could get in, he could be left alone for too long leaving him to starve or dehydrate, or he could injure himself trying to climb out of his crib. Or worse, the Garrison to go after him.

No, the Earth hospital wasn't an option, she couldn't risk the danger it put Keith in and she couldn't take him with her; the hover bike barely fit her and Kolt not to mention how incredibly dangerous it was for a 2 year old. She pulled her mate into her lap and flew the hover bike back to the house.

The moment the engine cut she could hear the sounds of Keith crying and her heart clenched tightly in her chest. Gently carrying him inside she lay Kolt on the old couch before rushing up the stairs to their son. His tear-streaked face greeted her when she opened the door to the nursery. He was standing in his crib, one hand on the rails and one clutching his purple kitty as he cried but the moment he saw her, little hands reached out for his mother. Scooping him up she nuzzled his head and purred to him, calming his panicked breathing and lulling him back into contentment. She stood there with him for a while, perhaps almost an hour, rocking him in her arms as she purred softly and stared out the window.

There were lights in the distance now. It was too far away for even her eyes to pickup any details, but she guessed the Garrison had arrived and were setting up shop. With both herself and the intact pod safely hidden away, there were no traces of Galra in the area, nothing that couldn't be explained by Earth tech at least. The two exploded pods were nothing but scrap metal and the bodies of the three very dead scouts would never be found. The Blue Lion was safe, her family was safe, _Earth_ was safe. The relief she felt was incredible but there was still something weighing heavily in her chest. A single tear slipped down her cheek as Keith began to purr in his sleep and, rubbing his back gently, she realized that she really had gone soft on this planet. Which was going to make leaving it so much harder.

* * *

She hugged his little body tightly before putting him back in his crib. Keith let out a soft sound in protest but ultimately didn't wake so Krolia bent down, laying a kiss to his pale skin and walked quietly from the room.

The weight in her chest was getting heavier and heaver with each step and she made her way to the small downstairs bathroom where they kept their emergency medical supplies. Pulling out the kit, she stopped in the kitchen for a bowl of clean soap water and a washcloth before finally settling herself on the coffee table beside Kolt. She had laid him down with his right side out, making this next part substantially easier since she did not need to lean over him.

After the wounds were cleaned of blood, dust, and sand; the metal bowl of soap water having turned a putrid brown, she began to treat them with a disinfectant. Humans used isopropyl alcohol to clean wounds in an emergency but she had managed to salvage her medkit from the wreckage of her pod and therefore she had access to much more advanced treatments. It wasn't a substitute for an actual hospital but it would do in a pinch. She stitched his wound shut and spread the antiseptic gel over it before applying a bandage wrap, setting his arm in a sling to restrict movement.

She cleaned up the medical supplies, planted a loving kiss to Kolt's temple, and went back upstairs to check on Keith. He was still sound asleep, none the wiser to the incredible danger that had almost befallen them. She stood by the window again and watched the lights in the distance. The sun was rising and the response team had managed to setup an entire observation tent at the crash site. She didn't know how long she stood there watching when she heard him enter the room.

"I must go." Was all she managed to say. The weight in her chest made the words taste sour but couldn't change anything.

"I thought you'd seen enough war." It wasn't a question, his words here laced with something dark but she couldn't let go of her resolve, not now, not when it was so important to keep them safe.

"If they found the Blue Lion once they'll find it again. I need to report back to the Blades and stop the Galra from the inside." She moved to stand closer to him, but he continued to stare down at their sleeping son. Her hand found its way to his and she said the hardest words imaginable; their truth doing little to help. "I'm sorry. But this is the best way for me to keep you _both_ safe."

"Bullshit."

"Excuse me?" His tone took her by surprise.

"I said 'bullshit' Krolia." She merely blinked in response, unable to process his words but he stared her down with a stubborn resolve that would make any Galra jealous. "You can't just leave. It can't be the _best way_. I don't know how to raise a child, let alone a half alien one, and what are we supposed to do without you?" He gestured towards Keith and though his words were coming faster now he kept his voice low to avoid disturbing the sleeping kit.

"Kolton, This is for the best. Keith looks passably Human, he can have a normal life here, one that doesn't involve war and death and the Empire. I don't _want_ to do this Kolt, but it's the only way. The Empire WON'T stop. They will never stop. Not until they find the Lions and the best chance we have, the best chance _Earth_ has, is for me to return and report back that this quadrant came up empty. I – I don't want to leave you, either of you, but I don't have a choice here. I need you to understand that."

"I hate this. Yer leavin' us is the worst possible out come I could've imagined. Why can't you just radio yer people from here? Contact 'em saying ya'll crashed but there's nothin' here?"

"No. The Empire would send an extraction team to come get me, and they would come and discover how resource rich this planet is. The Empire cannot be allowed to find Earth."

"Radio yer Blade of Marmora then, get them to pass along the message."

"Kolton, that's not how this works. I need to go. End of story."

"I hate this." He protested but the fight had left his voice, replaced by resigned understanding. He knew she was right, he knew it was the only way but that didn't mean either of them had to like it. "But there ain't no way yer leaving Earth with them Garrison folks setup out there."

"My ankle is injured and will require time to heal. I will stay until it is safe for me to depart, but I cannot delay longer than a few months." She looked over at Keith, still peacefully asleep in his crib. "I'm going to miss so much."


	4. Departure

**DEPARTURE**

It had been nearly 5 months since the scouts arrived and the Garrison had long since packed up and evacuated the site. Krolia had been working on fixing the remaining pod but it was grueling work, she was a pilot not a mechanic. Luckily Kolt was great with his hands and proved to be an incredible assistant; between the two of them they would have the fighter pod fully repaired within another week.

She had noticed something was 'off' when she moved the pod into the Blue Lion's cave, but her mind was elsewhere at the time and she didn't pay it much thought. Once the Garrison left she was able to assess the damage and found the main thrusters, as well as the life support systems, were severely damaged from shrapnel in the explosion of the other pods. With everything nearly fixed she had begun to prepare for her launch date.

Krolia complied an extensive list of medications that Galra could take as well as things that may cause a reaction. She had also created an entire spreadsheet on typical kit behaviour and developmental stages in the hopes that it could help explain any strange behaviours or biological developments. In the end, it had been incredibly hard to get through as she realized the milestones she would be missing; his first steps, his first day of 'school', his first crush, etc. She made sure to document how important it was for Kolton to hold him, Galra can become touch starved leading to health complications and it can be especially problematic for kits.

A knock at the door startled her and she immediately wondered if she was visible, quickly ducking into the small main floor bathroom. The knock sounded again and she ignored it, praying that Keith continued his nap without waking.

After a minute or so the person turned and walked down the steps of the porch, stepping into a boxy vehicle of some sort and driving off. She remained in the bathroom for almost an entire hour before tentatively making her way to the front door. A folded note had been taped to it with Kolt's name and she pulled it down to read.

_Dropped by with some of Colleen's potato salad. Didn't want to leave it out in the desert so I brought it home. Need to talk to you about Commander Sanda. It's urgent Kolt. Please call. We're worried._  
_ \- Sam_

Krolia stared out at the horizon for a while, not really knowing what to do. She had assumed that no one knew where Kolton lived; he was incredibly secretive even before she met him, a trait that had proven incredible beneficial to their unique situation. But with this _Sam_ just showing up on their doorstep unannounced it had her worried. It also solidified that leaving was the best choice. She sighed and looked at the time, 2:45PM – Keith would be waking up soon.

The pot of noodles started boiling and she drained them before adding the packet of powdered cheese sauce, butter, milk, and a cut up hotdog; setting it aside to cool as a quiet rustling sounds floated down the stairs. Walking into the nursery she picked up her sleepy boy, changed him, and carried him down to the kitchen. These were her favourite moments, right after a nap or first thing in the morning. He was always so snuggly when waking up, nuzzling his little face into the crook of her neck and clutching her shirt with his tiny fists. His grip was so tight that she could have let go and he wouldn't have budged.

By the time Kolt came walking through the door, Keith had bright orange cheese sauce all over his hands and face with noodles in his hair. "Shake your boots." She called out of habit and was met with a familiar groan. Keith giggled as he chucked a handful of the noodles at the window. "NO. Stop making such a mess. Eat your noodles." He stuck his tongue out at her and received a quick smack to the head and a short hiss.

"Maybe he don't want any noodles. Try somethin' else why don't ya."

She rolled her eyes. "I wish I knew what he could stomach. This would be so much easier if we knew what to feed him."

"Well wassa Galran kit his age eat?"

"Mostly meats and starches. I added hotdogs but pure Galra would need raw meat, I'm just afraid of giving it to him because I know you Humans can't eat it. Especially not this young."

He make a 'yuck' face at the mention of raw meat but other wise didn't say anything for a while. "He seems t'take after you in all but looks. Maybe worth a shot."

She cleaned the messy boy's face, much to his distain, and passed him off to his father before cleaning up the mess in the kitchen.

"Hey there lil' fella. You givin yer mamma a hard time?" Keith giggled. "Don't be doin that ya lil' bugger. You be nice to yer mamma – Hey, what's this? Krolia?" He turned his attention to her and she saw the folded note in his hand. Keith made a motion to snatch it but he moved his arm out of reach.

"A '_Sam'_ stopped by and taped that to the door for you. I don't think he saw me."

"I've told him a thousand times not to pop on over. Wonder what was so impor – WOAH! We missed Colleen's potato salad? Damn, what a shame!" He looked like he was about to continue but was cut off in that moment by the phone. Heaving a groan he stood and crossed the room to where the phone was mounted on the wall. "Heeeello? - Oh ya hey there Sam, got yer note. Too bad 'bout that potato salad. - ya I reckon I'll eat the whole tub before it ever leaves Garrison property. - Nah I'm sure they'll be fine with it. - whattaya mean 'on their way'? - Holy Fuc-fudgesicles. - Ya he's right here haha - Thanks fer the heads up."

Kolt had kept his tone light but Krolia felt the tension rolling off him as he hung up the phone and before she could say a word he had his free hand over his face, rubbing at his eye and letting a soft string of _almost_ curses flow. "Garrison's on their way. Somethin' 'bout suspectin' sabotage of the crash site. Since our place is the only thing out here fer miles they reckon it was me. They ain't wrong, but they sure as hell ain't gettin' any details outta me. You best be hidin."

"What if they ask where I am?"

"I'll tell 'em ya'll stepped out." She nodded and looked over the horizon, the dust of approaching vehicles couldn't yet be seen which meant she should be able to make it to the Blue Lion's cave in time. "Hey babe, be careful kay."

Krolia smiled at him and left a soft kiss on both of their cheeks before slipping out the door and tearing off in the direction of her hideaway. She made sure to take a communicator with her; Kolt would send a message when the coast was clear.

* * *

She hid in the cave for hours. Using that time to work on the finishing touches to the fighter pod, and waiting for a signal from Kolt. The more time went by the more worried she became. A part of her began to regret having left Keith behind, what if things didn't go smoothly, what if him being there put him at risk. She should have brought him to the cave; she should have kept him with her.

At that thought she realized that she couldn't keep him away from the Humans forever, she was leaving and he would be left here to live a safe, peaceful life. A life that would involve Humans and would eventually put Keith directly in the path of the Galaxy Garrison. Suddenly she felt an overwhelming panic grip her chest. What if something happened to Kolt, no one would know how to properly take care of her son, they wouldn't know he was Galra but they would notice that he was different. What if they treated him poorly for it?

Kolt had mentioned her taking Keith along, but she had shot down the suggestion with vehemence, not wanting to bring her innocent toddler onto a military based to be raised as a solider. No, it was in his best interest to remain here with his father, staying on Earth with Kolt meant peace and safety and stability.

A loud explosion drew her attention and she breathed a worried '_Kolt_' as she rushed deeper into the cave system towards the other entrance they had created. Replacing the large bolder in front of the new mouth, she climbed over the ridge to reach a better vantage point. Scanning the distance she saw the fire, it was massive as it blazed against the night sky, a beacon alerting her of the danger her family was in. Climbing down the cliff face she landed with a thud, turning it into a roll as she sprang to her feet and launched herself in the direction of the inferno. Her blood was pounding in her ears, her breath coming in quick bursts as her legs burned against the strain of endurance. Pushing herself harder than she had ever pushed before, desperate to make it to her mate and child, she found herself coming to an abrupt halt as the Garrison patrol vehicles came into view.

Crouching behind a large rock she used her superior night vision to assess the situation before her. There were 8 large square rough-terrain transport vehicles and approximately 30 armed patrols that she could see, as well as one very serious looking woman who was clearly of a higher rank than those with weapons. Her arms were tucked behind her back as she addressed the foot soldiers in her presence. "Fan out, find it and bring it back alive. You are _not_ permitted to use lethal force. We want the specimen alive for testing. Dismissed! " She commanded before turning to face the back of a large military truck. Like the other vehicles it was a dark grey with white and orange accents, clearly Garrison issue, and it had a canvas back. But what caught her eye was the way the harsh woman seemed to be looking at someone inside it. "You had better hope we find it or you'll find yourself court-martialed for your obvious insubordination and failure to comply with Garrison protocol. Have I made myself clear Officer?" She paused a moment before slamming her hands on the back of the truck. "Officer Kogane, have I made myself clear?"

His response was too muffled for even Galra ears to pickup at this distance and she momentarily humoured the thought of sneaking closer before catching sight of movement in her periphery. The barrel of a gun appeared over the large rock she was crouched behind and she pressed herself lower. A series of potential responses flashed through her mind, ultimately she decided to wait.

Krolia slowed her breathing and pressed her body as tightly against the rock as possible. The gun was replaced by a boot, then another, as the soldier stood atop her rock. She stayed stock still, praying he wouldn't look down. After an eternity, the soldier jumped forward, landing on the desert ground with a hard thud and buckling to one knee from the impact. His gun bounced against his bent leg and he fumbled with it a bit before securing his grip and continuing his prowl. She watched as 20 soldiers spread out in the direction of the mountain range. Behind the house was nothing but open desert with no places to hide which helped to limit their search radius and made her escape substantially harder.

"Tell us what we want to know then you and your boy can go pickup your wife. If you don't cooperate our men will apprehend her when she returns home." Another sullen silence punctuated the harsh woman's words. "Officer Kogane this is a direct Order! Tell me where you are hiding the potential Extra Terrestrial immediately." Again, his words were too muffled to hear but she could easily infer their meaning. The harsh woman took a step back in shock and lowered her stance, shifting into a substantially more threatening demeanour. "You will regret that Kogane. Your time with the Garrison is over. Finished. You are hereby stripped of your title and rank as well as your access to ALL Garrison grounds."

He must have said something else because she stopped in her retreat, turned back to face him, and gave a wicked smile that looked all the more sinister with the light of the flames flickering across her face. "This 'home' is now the possession of the U.S. Government and, should you decide to return, you will be found to be trespassing on Government property. Not another word Kogane unless you wish for that little brat of yours to become a ward of the state while you rot behind bars." She paused a moment before smiling again. "Good. Lieutenant Iverson, if he speaks you are permitted to arrest him under violation of Article 92."

Krolia watched her duck around the back of their burning home. She knew the soldiers would come back around eventually and she would be visible, a new hiding place was priority one. Kolton would keep Keith safe; she had no doubts about that. A soft buzzing sound went off on her hip and she pulled out her communicator. It showed a small steady dot representing Kolt's communicator, the one she had commandeered from the scouts and reprogrammed to be on the Blade's lines before giving it to him. Earth tech wouldn't be able to pickup on its signal, not even the Empire could pickup the Blade's signals. This little communicator was their only form of secure contact and she felt instant relief that he'd had the foresight to keep it with him. She could use it to track and rescue him and their son.

After the truck was out of sight and most of the soldiers were distracted, Krolia made her way to the small shack that served as Kolt's workshop. It was a single level building with a small front room, an even smaller back room, and an absolutely miniscule bathroom. She snuck in the back window, knowing it didn't latch properly, and hid behind one of the large tool cases under a workbench. From here she could see through one of the grimy windows without her body being visible, though she knew the glow of her eyes would be. Getting as low to the ground as possible she hoped she could pass as some sort of stray cat or a raccoon, if they came too close she would hiss and maybe that would be enough for them to back away. Then again, they knew they were looking for an alien so that might only draw them in.

With no one in sight, she pulled out her communicator and checked on the now blinking dot. Her boys were being moved; they were in that truck and they were being brought to another location. She took a deep breath; there was nothing she could do right now but wait.

Almost 3 hours went by and she was still crouched in her same hiding place. No one had come in the inspect the shack, which made her think they must have already cleared it before she had returned. Checking her communicator she saw the dot had stopped blinking, which was good. What was not good was the dot was situated just outside of town at a motel. There was no way there wouldn't be guards there and she couldn't just _leave the planet_ without saying good-bye. So she did the only thing she could, she called Sam.

"_Hiiiiiii, Holt family, this is Mafew_." Came a small voice on the other end, no more than 5 or 6 years old she assumed and it made her smile.

"Hello Matthew, is your father home?"

_"Who wants to know?_" his suspicious tone surprised her. It was something only a child could pull off with that much confidence.

"My name is Krolia, Krolia Kogane and I need to speak to your father right away."

"_Krolia is a weird name -"  
"- MATTHEW, DON'T BE RUDE! Why are you answering the phone? Give me that! Yes? Hello? This is Colleen Holt, may I help you?" _She had a soft maternal sounding voice and though she was clearly annoyed with her son, it didn't sound in her words the moment they were directed through the phone.

"My name is Krolia Kogane. I need to speak with Sam, it's urgent."

"_Kogane? Like Kolt Kogane's Mrs?_" An excited trill tinged her words.

"Yes, it is urgent. Please."

"_I'm sorry but Sam got called into the Garrison about an hour ago. Is everything alright?"_

"I – no. Thank you for your help." She went to close the communicator but was stopped by Colleen's voice coming through.

"- _Wait! Don't hang up! Maybe I can help. Why don't you come by and we can talk. I also work for the Garrison, in the botany labs, but I might be able to offer some assistance!"_

"I'm afraid that isn't an option. Thank you for your time." She ended the call and let out a heavy sigh. Back to square one. Easing her way out of the hiding spot she checked the window and found 3 armed patrols walking the perimeter.

Taking a deep breath Krolia rested her hand on the knife at her side. She had been given her blaster gun back from Kolt after a few months on Earth and it was now safely tucked away at her other side. The patrols may be armed but so was she and her weapons were better, her training was better, and they were sorely out matched.

Crawling from the safety of the shack, she rounded the south facing wall and pulled out her blaster. There was no cover in the open desert, meaning there was no way she could get away without them spotting her. The other vehicles were present with the exception of the truck, which meant the rest of the patrols were still out in the mountain range searching for her. She needed to get out of here before they returned or she would be vastly out numbered, not out matched – she was positive she could take them all on single handed, but it wasn't something she was going to willingly attempt. Especially not when there was another option.

One of the patrols came around the corner and before he could even register her presence she had already put him down, her gun recharging for the next. When the coast was clear she hot-wired one of their transports and drove off in the direction of the small town.

The dusty motel was easy to find, as it was one of the first buildings on the way into town. Parked outside were 2 Garrison transport vehicles like the one she was currently driving. They let her pass with a nod and she was incredibly thankful for the heavily tinted windows. Parking the vehicle, she sent a message to Kolt through the communicators and not a minute later he was casually walking out of the room with Keith in his arms; still clutching his purple kitty. He sauntered over to the driver's side door and she cracked the window.

"Get in."

"You got it pretty lady." He said with a wink and continued to the other side, opening the door and climbing into the passenger's seat. Careful not to raise any more suspicion, she slowly reversed and pulled out of the parking lot, driving down the hill and back into the desert.

The moment they reached the bottom of the hill she slammed on the gas, rocketing the sturdy transport across the terrain as fast as it could go.

"Looks like we got company. Punch it Krolia!" Kolt held Keith tight and searched the console for any thing they could use to 'divert' their tails. Coming up with nothing he shrugged and monitored the mirrors.

She drove straight for the mountain range, they knew these caves like the back of their hands and she could pull into one, using the tunnels to exit at another point, before heading for the Blue Lion's cave. Hopefully that would give the Garrison the slip. She rounded a corner and stopped just out side the cave, letting Kolt out with Keith, before slamming the gas once again and driving straight inside at top speed. Wedging the gas down, she climbed out the sunroof and jumped from the vehicle before it crashed into the back wall, the shock wave knocking her to the ground harder than anticipated. Joined by Kolt, she took Keith in her arms and the three of them slipped into one of the tunnels, rushing to get as far away from the crash as possible.

They ran through the cave system for an hour before coming out on the far side. She followed Kolt as they scaled the mountain range and slipped down a narrow chute, landing at the new opening to the Blue Lion's cave. Krolia ran for the Galra fighter pod, while Kolt headed for the massive bolder they had used to hide the larger entrance. She activated the low level engines, the same ones she had used to move the pod into this cave in the first place, and felt it lift off the ground.

Once clear of the exit, she opened the hatch to pass Keith over to his father. "Oh no you don't! There ain't no way he's havin' a normal life here now. I'm officially an enemy of the state Krolia. I gotta go on the lamb. Ya'll better take him with you – lord knows he's probably safer out there than he would be here." His face darkened and a distant look overcame his eyes. "I'm gunna miss you."

"Come with me."

"You know I cant. This pods too small to fit all three of us, and we've never been able to get past ol' Blue's barrier. Nah, I gotta stay here with my own lot. Take care of him and hopefully we'll see each other again one day." He leaned in and they shared a kiss, one that had to last for years to come.

When they separated he wiped the tear from her cheek and ruffled Keith's hair. "I'll keep this here communicator safe. If ya'll ever come back, message me!" She nodded, unable to trust her own voice. "I love you – both of you."

"I love you too." Her words hung heavy between them as the fighter pod's hatch closed. She initiated the launch sequence through her tears and watched Kolt move the bolder back in place, sealing away the Blue Lion.

She felt her chest grow emptier as she left a part of own her heart further and further behind. Clearing the atmosphere she let the rest of her tears fall unabashedly onto her armour before scanning for the nearest Empire ship

**Author's Note:**

So I am new here - this is my first piece I'm publishing on this platform!  
I am new to fan fiction in general as of this year (2019). I've started out on AO3 and have just discovered this site. I'm super excited to post some of my stories from AO3 here as well. I'm sure there's a lot of cross over of readers / writers but hey I'm going for it :)

This is a 5 part series that follows Keith being raised by the BOM and eventually becoming the Red Paladin of Voltron. The next piece In the series is called "To The Stars" and is now published. If you have any suggestions, tips, or feedback I'd love to hear it!

\- KarsKars


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